


Loki’s Cat

by JayStarr



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alpha Thor, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Asgardian Loki, Implied Mpreg, Knotting, M/M, Magic, Marriage, Omega Loki, Oral Sex, Prince Loki, Sexism, Transformation, Warrior Thor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2020-02-29 07:16:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18773854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayStarr/pseuds/JayStarr
Summary: Loki has finally come of age, and now he is the most desirable man in all of Asgard.  As Odin and Frigga’s only heir, they are determined to find him a suitable mate while Loki is determined to remain mateless.  Loki proposes a proposition.  He will marry one of those being offered who can unlock the gate to his secret garden, that is only able to be unlocked with the key attached to his cat’s collar.  Too bad Loki’s cat was impossible to catch.





	1. Chapter 1

  “Please, Loki!” Frigga cried, clasping her hands together.  “We’re only looking out for you.”

  Loki continued to stare out of the window with his arms crossed.  His jaw was tight, and his face somewhat paled.

  “We want you to be happy,” Odin added.

  “And how is that?” Loki asked, shrugging his shoulders.

  “We have been looking at several alphas,” Frigga said, stepping closer to her son.  “They’re all from good families and are great young men.  There’s Baldur;  he really enjoys your company.  Ragnfast;  he is the most handsome out of the men that we’ve picked.”  Loki rolled his eyes.  “Fandral is an energetic and fun loving man.  Certainly he’ll bring you out of your shell a bit.  You and Hogun have a lot in common.  Volstagg—.”  She paused and glanced back at Odin before turning back to Loki.  “We know how you felt about him a couple of years ago, but I’m certain your feelings have changed.”

  Loki chewed on the inside of his cheek.  “And what of Thor and the other four men?  They’re all quite handsome, and all are far too willing to have me as their wife.”

  “Question is,” Odin grumbled, crossing his arms as he spoke.  “Which one of them is worthy?”

  Loki’s eyes brightened as a smile danced across his face.  “I have a way.”

  Frigga and Odin glanced at one another before looking at their son.

  “Pray tell,” Frigga said.

  Loki stood and faced them.  “I’ll announce it at the feast tonight.”

  Frigga frowned softly.  “Is it a challenge?”

  A glint in Loki’s eyes glimmered.  “Why, of course, mother.”  He smiled wide at his parents.

 

~~~~

 

  “Did you hear?!” Fandral shouted as Thor and Volstagg fought each other.

  “Hear about what?” Thor cried.  Volstagg raised his foot and slammed it in his chest.

  “That his parents have narrowed the list of Loki’s suitors down to ten,” Fandral shouted.  Thor wrapped an arm around Volstagg’s neck.  “We’re in the ten.”  Both men paused and looked at him.  “Yeah.  And Loki says he has a way of narrowing it down even further to just one.”

  Thor wiped his face with a towel.  “How so?”

  “I don’t know,” Fandral said with a shrug.  “He said that he’ll announce it at the feast tonight.”

  “At least we’ll be there,” Hogun assured.  “And possibly get a jump on the challenge.”

  “What is up with that boy and challenges?” Volstagg asked with a shake of his head.

  “I don’t mind,” Hogun said with a faint smile.  “I love puzzles.”

  “Well, we’ll know in a few hours,” Thor said.  He glanced upward.  He paused.  “Well, hello there.”  Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg all followed his gaze up to Loki staring down at them from a balcony.  He turned and hurried inside.

  “Why was he looking at us?” Fandral asked, absentmindedly.

  “He wasn’t lookin at you!” someone shouted behind them.  They all turned.

  Two alpha men stood behind them.  Ragnfast was quite tall, around the same height as Volstagg, but was half his size in width.  His platinum blonde hair always looked prim and proper.  He never wore a shirt whenever he came to the fighting arena, not because the shirt would limit his movements but he preferred to show off his muscles and abs.  The other man, Baldur, was much shorter, around the same height as Hogun.  His dark black hair curled around his ears.  Baldur wasn’t as thin or as fit as Ragnfast nor the four men in front of them.

  “He was looking at the two of us!” Ragnfast said.  He gestured to his body as he spoke.  “Whatever the challenge, one of us is going to win.”

  Thor made a face.  Even Fandral, the king of self confidence and self admiration, rolled his eyes.

  Ragnfast and Baldur chuckled before they walked off.

  “As much as I want to win,” Fandral said, clasping his hand together, “there is one thing that I want more.”  Volstagg looked at him.  “To see those two fail.  To see those two fall flat on their faces.  To see those two just get a large slice of humble pie.”

  “I’d pay some good money to see that happen,” Hogun said in agreement.

  The afternoon came and went until the feast was fully prepared.  Everyone feasted on the wonderful food and downed the food with beer.

  “Ladies and gentlemen!” Odin cried.  Everyone turned to him.  “Prince Loki’s challenge will announced be now.”

  Loki stood as Odin spoke and stepped beside him.  He cleared his throat then raised his hand.

  “My challenge is going to be a difficult one,” Loki explained.  A green and gold aura radiated from his hand.  The colours swirled together before taking form of a cat with a studded collar and a single silver key on the chain in the front of the collar. “My cat holds a key.  A key that unlocks the gate to my secret garden.  Whomever gets the key and unlocks the gate, shall be the winner.”  Loki smiled wide as everyone began to murmur and talk amongst themselves.

  “That’s an impossible task!” Baldur shouted, bolting from his seat.

  “Even King Odin can’t catch your cat,” Ragnfast added, standing as well.

  Loki scoffed.  “I suppose that will be your challenge.  The challenge will begin tomorrow morning at eight am.”  Loki smiled wide, clasping his hands together.  “I hope you have the best of luck.”  Loki turned and left the room.

  “How did I know that he would do something like that?” Volstagg grumbled before he took another drink from his mug.

  “It has to be possible,” Fandral said.  “Someone has to win.”

  “And that somebody is going to be me,” Ragnfast said, leaning closer to them.  “So none of you worry too much about this competition.”  Ragnfast gave Fandral a quick wink.  He glanced over at Hogun.  “Then again, why in the world would the king and queen allow betas to have the chance to the future king?”

  Fandral opened his mouth to say something, but Volstagg placed the back of his hand against Fandral’s chest.

  “My question is,” Volstagg said, “why would the king and queen want you, the most spoiled, the most self centered, being in the world to even have the chance to be the future king?”

  “Because I can be very convincing,” Ragnfast admitted.

  A cat with glossy black fur and glimmering green eyes stepped inside.  Everyone turned and stared at the cat.

  “I’ll be the first to get that key,” Ragnfast said determinedly before he pushed through the four of them and made his way towards the front of the room.

  The cat meowed before he jumped into Frigga’s lap.  Ragnfast stopped.  Frigga stroked the cat as it purred softly.

  “The contest starts in the morning,” Frigga reminded.  She smiled at him from her seat.

  “Yes, your majesty,” Ragnfast said with a bow of his head.  “I simply wished for a closer look at the secretive pussycat.”

  The cat looked at him.  The cat recoiled.  His fur began to stand on its end, and his back arched.  The cat hissed loudly.

  Ragnfast pulled back, giving a fake chuckle.  “Nice, kitty.”  He smiled at Frigga before looking down at the key on the collar.  “Good, kitty.”  The cat raised his paw, extending his claws, before swatting at Ragnfst’s hand.

  “Easy now,” Frigga scolded.  She scratched behind the cat’s ears.  The cat’s eyes began to droop as he calmed down and began purring again.


	2. Chapter 2

  All ten suitors were all up bright and early and eagerly stared at the clock above the royal table in the reception hall.  Each second felt like agony.  Tick, tick, tick.

  Thor’s heart pounded in his chest.  he glanced around at the other suitors.  Hogun.  Fandral.  Volstagg.  Ragnfast and Baldur.  Thor didn’t really know too much about the other four men.  There were two alphas and two betas.

  Sir Edgar was the largest alpha out of the entire group, standing taller and being bigger than Volstagg.  He had long curly back hair and dark hazel brown eyes.  He is the son of one of Odin’s closest generals.  Thor has spoken to him quite a few times before, seeing as Thor’s own father is another one of Odin’s closest generals.  They haven’t went further than a few conversations, but Thor doesn’t need to talk to him so much to know that Sir Edgar was a fierce competitor that never backs down from a challenge.  A strong and powerful soldier knighted a couple of years earlier.

  Hagi is the second alpha son of a royal court judge.  He was a inch shorter than Thor but weighed just as much.  He wasn’t the stereotypically alpha, enjoying books to fighting.  He had short blonde hair and ocean blue eyes.  Thor hasn’t really spoken to Hagi much, but he has seen him quite a few times throughout the castle.

  Reinn was more on the quiet side, even quieter than Hogun.  Because of that, Thor didn’t really know anything about him beyond Reinn being a beta, being quiet, and being the son of the naval commander.  Reinn had ashy brown hair that was pulled back into a bun and medium almond brown eyes.

  Agnar had raven hair and greyish eyes.  Thor hasn’t really spoken to him aside from the occasional sentence or two.  Even then, Thor knew that Agnar enjoys wine and ale a bit too much to acceptable for a future king of Asgard.  Even if his parents are a well beloved Valkyrie and a royal court judge.

  Thor exhaled, turning back to the clock.

  Fifteen seconds.

  Thor’s hands trembled, and his stomach churned.

  Ten seconds.

  The others readied themselves.

  Five seconds.  Four.  Three.  Two.  One.

  The clock chimed.  The others rushed off.  Thor stared at the clock.  Bells chimed in the distance.  He cleared his throat.

  “Are you okay?” Frigga asked, stepping close to him.  Thor grew hot as he turned to her.  “You’re not thinking about forfeiting the competition?”

  “No!”  Frigga raised her brows.  Thor grew red as he cleared his throat again.  “No, your majesty.  I am not forfeiting my chances.  Not for any reason.”

  Frigga smiled.  “Good.  I don’t want to lose my horse.”

  Thor looked at her.  “Pardon me?”

  “My few friends and I have placed bets on who would get the key first.  I placed my bet on you.”  She brushed some dirt off of his cape with her hand.  “Everyone else placed their bets on Ragnfast.”

  Thor frowned.  “Yes.  Everyone else seems to love him.”

  “You don’t?”  Frigga clasped her hands together.

  “Forgive me, your majesty.”  Thor bowed his head.  “But you do not see the side of Ragnfast that myself and my friends see.  We do not enjoy his presence.”

  Frigga frowned as she thought about it.  “Thank you.”  She smiled.  “I’ll look into what you’ve said.”

  “You don’t have to.  My friends and I simply do not like him.”

  “Nevertheless.  I’ll see to it.”  Frigga smiled as she stepped back from him.  “Good luck.”

  “Thank you, my queen.”  Thor bowed his head again before he turned and hurried off.

  Frigga frowned when Thor disappeared from her sight.  She stepped closer to the window overlooking her flower garden.  Ragnfast sprinted down the yellow brick pathway.  He paused and looked around before sprinting off towards the willow tree through a flower bed, crushing the marigolds underneath his feet.  Frigga gasped.

  She hurried down to the garden.  She gasped again, staring down at the broken stems and squashed buds.  A tear came to her eye.  Frigga picked up a flower.

  “Your majesty!” Heimdall cried as he stepped beside her.  “I came as soon as I saw.”  He stared down at the broken flowers. “Do you wish to know who did this?”

  “I know who did this.”  Frigga gathered more of the broken flowers.

  “As you wish, your majesty.”  Heimdall bowed his head.  “Is there anything you need from me?”

  “Yes.  You can bring some maids and have them remove all the marigolds.”  She stood as she spoke.  “I would have to replanted the entire square.”

  “Yes, your majesty.”

  “Luckily it’s still early.  I only hope I can get a bloom in the second patch before the frost comes.”

  “I hope so too.”  He tried to lighten her mood by smiling, but she still frowned.

  “Regardless, the hummingbirds won’t come to this part of the garden.”  Frigga frowned harder at the thought.  She shook her head before she walked past him.

 

~~~~

 

  Loki’s cat purred as he laid on a stone bench in Frigga’s garden near the foxgloves.  Ragnfast stepped around the willow tree and smiled wide at him.

  The cat turned his attention to licking his paw.

  Ragnfast inched closer.

  The cat rubbed his face with his paw.

  “Gotcha!” Ragnfast cried, lunging at him.  The cat leapt out of his arms and landed on the brick pathway.  Ragnfast’s mouth cracked against the edge of the stone bench.  “Ow!  Fuck.”  Ragnfast held his mouth as his eyes widened at the cat.  The cat simply raised tail and head in the snooty, prissy way Loki often did whenever he wanted to make someone feel inferior.  “You fucking bitch.  Just like your owner.”

  Ragnfast jumped to his feet and sprinted after the cat, chasing him up the willow tree.  The cat climbed higher and higher.

  “Get down here!” Ragnfast ordered.  Blood spilled over his lips.  “You—.”  He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.  “Fucking—.”  He looked up at the cat.  “This isn’t over.  I will get that key from you.”  He turned and stormed off.

  Thor looked around as cries of “Here, kitty, kitty” were heard in the distance.  He paused when he saw Ragnfast.

  “Stupid fucking cat,” Thor heard Ragnfast grumble as he stormed past.

  Thor glanced over to where he came before stepping closer.  He glanced around but saw nothing aside from the occasional person walking through the garden.  Thor frowned.  He paused when he saw Loki walking along one of the pathways with his nose stuck in a book as usual.

  Thor smiled as he stepped closer.  “Good read?”

  Loki gasped as he turned towards him.  Thor smiled at him.  “Yes.  It is.”  They stared at each other.  “You are Thor, son of Trygg, correct?”

  “Yes, your highness.  He is one of the—.”

  Loki held up his hand.  “Commanding generals.  Yes, I am aware of my father’s closest friends.”  Thor lowered his gaze.  “How is the hunt going?”

  “Not great, I’m afraid.  I haven’t seen your cat anywhere.”

  “Mmm.”  Loki glanced around.  “Well, I know exactly where he is at the moment, but I will not say where though.  As it wouldn't be fair for the others.”

  “Of course.”  Thor looked down at the book and read its title.  “That’s a Midgardian play.”

  “It is.   _The Tempest_  by William Shakespeare.  Frankly, I rather enjoy it.”  Loki smiled.  “It’s one of my favorites.”

  “I don’t typically read.  I kinda find it boring.”

  Loki’s face fell.  “Ah.”  Loki started to turn away.

  _Stupid!_  Thor scolded himself.  “I mean, I— uh.”  Loki turned back towards him.  Thor’s face grew a bit red.  “I just rather do more active things to do.”

  “I see.”  Loki ran his thumb along the pages of the book.  “I suppose I have to get going.  I shouldn’t take so much of your time from your hunt.”  Loki turned and stepped away from him, waving at him.  “Bye.”

  “Goodbye.”  Thor bowed his head as Loki disappeared around the corner of the hedge maze.  “Your highness.”  He frowned slightly.  Thor slammed the palm of his hand against his forehead.  “Stupid.  Insulting his interests.  You might as well insult his appearance or his mother.”

  Loki’s cat stepped around the corner and meowed.

  Thor’s eyes widened.  He smiled wide.  “Hey, kitty.”  He stepped closer.  “How are you?”  The cat stared up at him.  His wide green glimmered in the sunlight.  “You look magnificent.”  He inched closer to him.  “I bet Prince Loki takes rather good care of you.”  The cat turned and hurried back into the hedge maze.  “Hey, wait for me.”  Thor hurried after the cat into the hedge maze.  Thor chuckled softly.  The soft soil clung to his boots and the bottom of his trouser and cape.

  Turn after turn, path after path, the cat remained in front of him.  The cat turned left, disappearing behind the corner of the hedge.  He rounded the corner.  Thor’s face frowned.

  The cat crawled underneath the hedge, leaving Thor alone in the dead end.

  “Well— fuck.”  Thor rubbed the back of his neck.  He turned before he froze.  His eyes widened.  Thor looked around.  Tall thick hedges towering over him by at least five feet.  Constant twists and turns, making it difficult to remember your way out, especially if you were more focused on following a cat with a key than remembering the way you came.  “Well, fuck.”

 

~~~~

 

  For hours, the nine other suitors chased and cornered and followed Loki’s cat with no avail, only stopping to rest or to eat.

  Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral panted as they all sat on a stone bench along one of the castle walls.  Fandral leaned against Hogun as he leaned against Volstagg.

  “I never— felt so tired,” Fandral said in between pants.  “Ever in my life— before.”

  “My legs hurt,” Hogun complained.

  Volstagg shook his head.  “I’ve chased cats before, but none of them were so crafty like this one.”  His stomach growled.  “Norns, I’m starving.”

  “Frigga is holding another feast tonight,” Hogun said.

  “Awww!” Ragnfast mocked.  “Look how cute you three are.”  Volstagg frowned at him.  “You know, you three should ditch the competition, seeing how you have no chance anyways, and just fuck each other.”  Ragnfast met Volstagg’s gaze.  “Stop staring at me like that.  We both know that I’m not scared of you.”

  Volstagg bolted up from the stone bench.  Hogun and Fandral collapsed on each other.  Ragnfast jumped back.  Volstagg smirked.  “Sure, you ain’t.”  Hogun and Fandral snickered.

  Ragnfast drew in a long breath.  “Be careful, Volstagg.  Not everyone knows your little secret.  The king and queen being one of them.  Now, if you three don’t mind, my presence was requested by the queen herself.”  He turned and stormed off.

  Volstagg frowned as he sat back down on the stone bench.  Hogun leaned against him, and Fandral leaned against him.

  “Do you really think he’ll tell them?” Hogun asked, not lifting his head from Volstagg’s shoulder.

  Volstagg remained silent for a moment.  “I don’t know.”

  “What are you gonna do if he does?” Fandral asked.

  “I don’t know,” Volstagg repeated.  He shook his head.  “I kinda wish Thor was here.  He tends to know what to do with this.”  He chuckled a little.

  Fandral lifted his head from Hogun’s shoulder and looked around.  “Where’s Thor?”  Both Volstagg and Hogun looked around as well.  “Come to think of it.  I haven’t seen him all day.”

  Volstagg and Hogun looked around.

  “Where is he?” Hogun asked.

  “Where am I going?” Thor asked himself as he hurried down a pathway.

  “It’s not like he’s lost or something,” Volstagg said.  “He lives on the castle grounds.  He knows where everything is.”

  “ **WHERE!  IS!  THE!  EXIT!** ” Thor shouted, jumping with every word, trying to see over the top of the hedge bushes.

  “Yeah,” Fandral added.  “He tends to have a good head on his shoulders.  He doesn’t usually not know what to do.”

  “AHHH!” Thor cried, sprinting down a path.  “I’M GONNA DIE IN HERE!”

  “I’m sure he’s fine,” Hogun said.

 

~~~~

 

  Ragnfast knocked gently on the door.

  “Come in,” Frigga said.  Ragnfast opened the door and stepped inside Frigga’s private sitting room.

  The room was somewhat small, considering the rest of the rooms in the castle, with a large black and white rug taking up much of the floor.  There was a short bookcase opposite of the door, and a bay window to the right, overlooking another part of the garden.  Frigga sat in one of the two chairs in the room, next to a stand, looking out the window.

  Frigga turned towards him as he stepped inside.  “Hello, Ragnfast.  Please close the door.”

  “You requested my presence,” Ragnfast said as he did so.

  “Yes.”  Frigga picked some of the crushed marigolds and held them in her hands before she turned towards him.  “I have a few questions to ask.”

  “Of course.”  He bowed his head.

  Frigga held out her hand, revealing the crushed flower.  “I found this in my garden.”  He stepped closer to see.  “Do you know what happened?”

  Ragnfast froze as he stared at her.  Her eyes burned into him.  “No.”

  Frigga frowned.  “Do you know what these are?”

  “They’re flowers.”

  “They were marigolds.”  She stepped around him and stared out the window.  “I had to replant the entire planter.  As many of the marigolds were destroyed.”  Frigga turned to him.  “Did you see what happened?”

  “No.  I didn’t, but it could have been Thor.”

  Frigga raised her brows.  “Thor?  Why would you say him?”

  Ragnfast swallowed a little.  “Because of the way he acts towards me and my friends.  He oftentimes isn’t considerate.”

  Frigga frowned.  “Really?”  Ragnfast frowned.  Frigga waved her hand in a circle as she stepped around him again.  A golden aura spun from her hand and formed a circle.  An image appeared in the circle of Ragnfast storming through the marigold flowerbed.

  “That— That’s not me,” Ragnfast denied.  “Your majesty, whomever gave that image to you was lying.  I would never do that.”

  “Really?  Because the person that gave that to me was— me.”  Frigga smiled.  Ragnfast’s face paled as his shoulder’s fell.  She stared at him with a faint smile.  “Do you still believe that this is false?”

  Ragnfast frowned.  “Please, your majesty.”  He rolled his eyes.  “I honestly don’t understand why you’re getting so upset about these marigolds.  They are just flowers.”

  Frigga’s eyes widened.  She closed her eyes and inhaled a breath before releasing it.  She opened her eyes.  “‘Just’ flowers.  These marigolds are _just_ flowers.”  She chuckled.  “I suppose you’re right.  It’s not like marigold are not only my favorite flower, but also the favorite flower of my son and of my deceased mother, whose ashes along with the ashes of my father and deceased brothers and my husband’s deceased parents and brothers are spread throughout my garden, meaning so long as the garden is alive, they’re still with us.  Not to mention that marigolds attract hummingbirds, which just so happens to be my favorite bird.”  Ragnfast grew bright red as she spoke.  “Do not tell me that they are _just_ flowers when they have significance to you.”

  Ragnfast lowered his head.  “Forgive me, your majesty.”

  “What should I forgive you for?  The fact that you so blatantly destroyed my most beloved flower or the fact that you tried to  blame Thor for your actions?”

  Ragnfast raised his head.  Her face didn’t change, and a faint smile still remained.

  A knock came at the door.

  “Come in,” Frigga said.  her smile widened.

  The door opened.  Heimdall had a hand on Thor’s shoulder.  Thor’s face was drenched with sweat with bits of soil smeared across his forehead and cheek.  Soil caked his boots and up his trousers to his knees and up his cape to the back of his knees.  His knuckles were bruised and bloody.  Sweat clump strands of his ashy blonde hair.  A few branches stuck in his hair.

  “You requested my presence, your majesty,” Thor said, stepping forward.  “Please, forgive my appearance.”

  “Were you lost in the maze again?” Ragnfast asked with a snicker.

  Frigga frowned at him before she tore her gaze off of him and looked at Thor and Heimdall.  “Thank you, Heimdall.”

  “Why didn’t you call your hammer?” Ragnfast asked.

  Thor stared as if Ragnfast had grown a second head.  “Because it would’ve destroyed the hedges.”  Ragnfast scoffed as Frigga chuckled a little.

  “Thank you, Thor,” Frigga said with a smile.  “For being considerate.”

  Ragnfast’s jaw tightened as he turned away.

  “You wished to see me?” Thor repeated, raising his brows.

  “Yes,” Frigga said.  “I simply wanted to ask who had stepped through my marigolds.  Fortunately for you, I’ve already who has done so.”

  “I would never intentionally destroy your flowers,” Thor said.  “Knowing how much they mean to you.”  Ragnfast rolled his eyes.  “If you’ll excuse me, I have to clean up and dress for tonight’s feast.”  He bowed his head.

  Frigga bowed back.  “You two may go.”  They both started for the door.  “Oh, and Ragnfast.”  They stopped and turned.  Frigga stepped closer to him.  “If you destroy my garden and lie about it again, I would command Heimdall to cut off your feet.”  Ragnfast glanced over at the dark skinned man.

  “And I would do as she commands,” Heimdall warned.

  Ragnfast bowed his head.  “I understand, your majesty.”  He and Thor left the room.

  “What did you see?” Frigga asked, not looking at Heimdall.

  “Quite a lot.  Mostly good things.”

  “How was Loki?”  Frigga glanced at him.

  Heimdall smiled a little.  “Happy.  More in love than he ever thought.”

  Frigga smiled back.  “That good.  Is his future better than the others?”

  “Better than a few.  Both Loki and Asgard will be happy with him.”  Frigga smiled wide.

  “‘Oh no, your majesty,’” Ragnfast mocked.  “‘I would never do that to your flowers.  I know how much they mean to you.’”  Ragnfast glared at him.  “Oh, please.  Can you kiss her ass anymore?”

  Thor raised a brow.  “Why do you hate the queen?  If you win, she’ll be your mother-in-law.”

  “You think I actually give a shit about her.”  Ragnfast scoffed.  “I only care about becoming king.  Neither you or any of your so-called friends will stand in my way.”  Ragnfast slammed himself against Thor’s chest, knocking him off of his feet, before he turned and stormed off.

  “Asshole,” Thor grumbled, getting to his feet.

 

~~~~

 

  The feast began as Thor stepped through the door.

  “Where have you been?” Fandral asked as Thor sat down beside them.  Volstagg nibbled on his food, frequently glancing over at Odin and Frigga.

  “I got lost in the fucking maze,” Thor grumbled, shoveling food onto his plate.  Fandral laughed at him.

  “Don’t let him get to you?” Hogun said, glancing past my and glaring at Ragnfast.

  “What’s happened?” Thor asked, looking between Hogun and Fandral.

  “Ragnfast,” Volstagg said.  He glanced back over at Odin and Frigga.  “Fuck it.”  Volstagg shook his head.  “If they’re gonna know, I might as tell them myself.”

  Hogun frowned as the three of them stared at him.

  “You don’t have to,” Fandral said.  “They don’t have to know.”

  “It’s better them learn from me than learn from him,” Volstagg replied, draining his ale.  “Knowing him, he’d twist it around to make me look as bad as he possibly could.”

  “You’re not a terrible person,” Thor said with his mouthful.

  “I know,” Volstagg replied.  “But still.”  He glanced back at Odin and Frigga.

  Loki’s cat came out from outside and walked over to Frigga.  Thor paused as he stared at the black furred creature.  The cat walked over to Frigga and rubbed his head against her legs before it meowed.

  Frigga smiled down at him.  She bent over and picked him up before stroking his head.

  “Hmm,” Thor said, turning back to his food.

  The feast finished after a couple of hours.  Maids and servants began cleaning up the plates and cups as people filtered out of the reception hall.

  “Your majesties,” Volstagg cried, going after them.  They turned towards him.

  “What is it, Volstagg?” Odin asked.

  “May I speak to you?” Volstagg replied.  “I have to tell you something.”

  Frigga frowned.  “What is it?”

  Volstagg paled as he looked around.  “May we speak in private?”

  Frigga and Odin glanced at each before Frigga took his arm.  “Of course, we can.”  She smiled at him.  Odin followed after them.  Volstagg’s legs wobbled with every step.  His heart raced in his chest.


	3. Chapter 3

  Volstagg followed Frigga and Odin into a small room.  Frigga sat in a seat as Odin positioned himself beside her;  both turned to him.

  Volstagg’s stomach churned.  “Shall I close the door?”

  “If it makes you feel more comfortable,” Frigga answered with a smile.  Volstagg closed the door with a shaky hand.  He turned back towards them.  “Is something wrong?”

  Volstagg cleared his throat.  “No.  Er, sorta.”

  “You’re not forfeiting, are you?” Odin asked.  His brow furrowed.

  “No, your majesty.”  Volstagg looked at them.  “It’s not that.  It’s about my family.”

  Frigga gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth.  “They’re not hurt, are they?  Asa isn’t sick again?”

  “No, no.”  Volstagg shook his head.  “She’s fine.  She’s not sick.”  He scratched his neck.  “It’s more about me actually.”

  “Are you sick?” Odin asked.  “Would you like to see a doctor?”

  “Look, the only time I’m seeing a doctor is when my cock falls off,” Volstagg retorted.  Frigga raised her brows as Odin snickered a little.  Volstagg paled.  “Excuse me, my queen.”  He looked at the both of them.  “Uh, I’m not ill.”  Volstagg glanced around before sitting in a chair.  He rubbed his hands together.

  Frigga shifted in her seat.  “Something is bothering you, isn’t there?”  Her voice was soft and gentle.

  “Yeah.”  Volstagg nodded a little.  “My biological father was a blacksmith.”  Frigga and Odin glanced at each other.  “He used to spend his earnings on buying my biological mother every week.  She was a prostitute if you haven’t guessed already.”  He lowered his head further.  “They planned to get married when my mother got pregnant with me, but they never did.  My mother died first when I was four;  yellow fever.  My father died when I was six.  He was killed in a bar fight, and I sent to an orphanage.”  Volstagg refused to looked at them.  “I was adopted a couple of months later.”

  Silence fell over them.  Volstagg felt the tears fall from his eyes.  He wiped away the tears.

  “I just want to let you know,” Volstagg continued.  “That your possible future son-in-law is the son of a prostitute and a poor blacksmith.”  He shifted in his seat.

  Frigga frowned before she stood from her seat and went to him.  She framed his face with her hands.  He looked up at her.  “Volstagg, you are the son of Ondott, fierce warrior and commander, and Runa, eloquent First Lady of the Courts.”  She kissed his forehead.  “We don’t care that you weren’t born to them.  You are their son.”

  Volstagg’s eyes widened as he stared up at her.  He rested his head against her shoulder as she sat in his lap.

  “There, there,” Frigga said, stroking his hair.

  Odin opened his mouth to say something, but Frigga shook her head.

  “I just was so scared that he’d tell you before I got the chance,” Volstagg said.  Frigga and Odin both frowned, turning to him.

  “Who would tell us before you?” Frigga asked, lifting his head.

  Volstagg glanced down.  “Will this hurt my chances?”  Frigga shook her head.  Volstagg swallowed a little.  “Ragnfast said that he’d tell you, so I thought it would’ve been better if you heard it from me.”

  Frigga stood and held his hands.  “Do not worry, Volstagg.  This does not change who you are or what you’ve done up until this point.  Your past does not define who you are.”  She smiled at him.  “You are the son of Ondott and Runa, elder brother of Asa.  Remember that.  Always remember that.”  She wiped his tears away with her thumbs.

  Volstagg smiled back at her.  “Thank you, my queen.”  He stood.

  “Is that all?” Odin asked.

  “Yes,” Volstagg said.  “I’ve said all that I needed to say.”

  “Thank you for saying it,” Frigga said.  “You may go.”  Volstagg bowed his head before he left the room, closing the door behind him.  He sighed, smiling wide, as he felt a weight lift off of his shoulders.

  “Why didn’t you left me tell him that we already knew that?” Odin asked.

  “Because it wouldn’t have made him feel better.”  Frigga took his arm.  “Now.  Which one of us will speak to Ragnfast?”

  “We can both speak to him.”

 

~~~~

 

  Loki sat on a stone bench underneath a weeping willow with a koi fish pond at his feet in the outskirts of the castle grounds. He dipped his feet into the lukewarm water.  He glanced up at the sound of someone walking down the small dirt path.  Volstagg paused when their gazes met.  They stared at one another for a moment before Loki turned back to the koi fish.

  Volstagg stepped forward but stopped.  He turned on his heels and headed to Loki.  Volstagg stopped when he reached him. Loki glanced up at him.

  “May I help you?” Loki asked, raising a brow.

  “I wanted to apologize for my behavior,” Volstagg said.  “Years earlier.  I shouldn’t have treated you that way.”

  “No, you shouldn’t have.”  Loki frowned a little.  The wind was warm and gentle against their skin.

  “I shouldn’t have done those things or said those things about you.”

  “You kissed me.”  Loki closed his book and looked at him.

  Volstagg’s face grew red.  “I did.”

  “You took my first kiss.”

  Volstagg glanced away.  “I did.”  He cleared his throat before he sat down beside Loki.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t realize that it was your first kiss.”

  “It happened eight years ago.”  Volstagg turned to him.  “I’m not excusing what you did, but it’s over with.  I’m over it.”  Volstagg frowned before turning away.  Loki stared at him.  “You’re a good kisser though.”

  Volstagg smiled.  “Thanks.”  He chuckled a little.  Volstagg glanced gently at Loki.  “Which one of us do you want to win?”

  Loki froze.  His eyes widened a little.  He gently licked his lips.  “Do you expect me to say you?”

  “I expect you to be brutally honest like you always are.”

  Loki chuckled;  his face brightened.  “Honestly, I wouldn’t mind anyone besides Ragnfast, Baldur, Hagi, Agnar, or Reinn.”  Loki made a face at the thought of one of them winning.  “I really doubt any of them will win.”

  Volstagg looked at him.  “What makes you say that?”

  Loki glanced at the koi fish, pausing for a moment.  He shrugged his shoulders.  Volstagg frowned before he glanced down at the koi fish.

  “Which of us five do you prefer?” Volstagg asked after another moment.

  Loki looked at him through the corner of his eyes.  “Sir Edgar.”

  Volstagg’s smile disappeared.  “Oh.”

  “Yes.”  Loki stood from the bench.  “Care to walk me back to the castle?”  Loki held out his hand.

  Volstagg glanced down at Loki’s bare feet.  He looked up at Loki.  “Where are your shoes?”

  “I didn’t wear any.  Are you gonna escort me back or not?”  Volstagg frowned as he stood.  He placed his hands onto Loki’s hips before lifting him into his arms, carrying him in a bridal style.  “Volstagg!  Put me down!”

  “Sorry, your highness, but I can’t risk you hurting your feet.”  Volstagg smiled at him.

  Loki paled.  “Wha—.  No.  I’m too heavy.”

  Volstagg rolled his eyes as he began walking off.  “Please.  You’re at most a hundred and five pounds.”

  “I’m a hundred and twelve!”  Loki wrapped his hands around Volstagg’s neck and pretended to strangle him.

  “Oh, no!”  Volstagg turned in his feet and stopped moving, acting as if he was going to fall over.  “Seven pounds.  Oh, you’re too heavy.  I think I will die from your crushing weight!”  Loki frowned at him, crossing his arms.  Volstagg frowned when Loki failed to laugh with him.  Volstagg straightened himself.  “You do remember that I can lift Sir Edgar, and he weighs three times as much as you do.”

  “He does not.”

  “He weighs more than you think.”  Loki hooked an arm around Volstagg’s neck.  The walk was quiet for the most part besides Volstagg asking the occasional question.  He only stopped when they reached the castle, where he set Loki down on his feet.

  “Thank you for— carrying me,” Loki said, clearing his throat slightly.

  “Volstagg,” Heimdall said, stepping from a side door.  “Your sister needs your presence.”

  “Asa?”  Volstagg turned to Loki.  “Excuse me, your highness.”  Volstagg turned and sprinted off.

  “Do not worry,” Heimdall said.  “Volstagg will get to her.”

  “Good.”  Loki glanced down at his hands.  He gasped again as his face.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “My book.  I had it with me, but it’s gone now.”

  Heimdall turned;  eyes turning a bright gold.  “It’s not at the koi fish pond.  Ragnfast has it, and he’s coming back to the castle.”

  “What?!  Why does he have it?”

  “I suppose he found it.”  Heimdall shrugged his shoulders.  “I can see the future, not the past.”

  Loki frowned.  “You can only see the future when you touch people.”

  “Yes.  Only then.”  Heimdall faked a smile.  “Shall I leave you or do you wish for me to stay?”

  Loki frowned as he thought for a moment.  “Thank you, but I think I will be fine.”

  “As you wish, your highness.”  Heimdall bowed his head before turned and walked away.

  Loki huffed, crossing his arms and frowning hard.  He waited over ten minutes before Ragnfast appeared.  Loki stomped over to him.  “Give it me.”

  Ragnfast frowned.  “Give what to you?”

  “My book.”  Loki huffed.  “Heimdall said that you had it.  Now, give it to me.”  Loki extended his hand.

  Ragnfast raised a brow.  He reached inside his breast plate before pulling out Loki’s book.  “Oh.  You mean this book?”

  “Yes.”  Loki reached for it, but Ragnfast pulled it out of his reach.

  “I mean, I _would_  give it to, you know, _if_  you asked politely.”

  Loki glared at him.  He huffed and rolled his eyes.  “You will please give me my book back.”

  Ragnfast chewed on the inside of his bottom lip.  “Mmm.  No.”

  Loki gasped.  His face fell.  Loki inhaled deeply before swiping his hand for the book.  Ragnfast jerked it away.  He wrapped an arm around Loki’s waist and pulled Loki against his body.

  “Give me a kiss.”  Ragnfast grinned wide.

  Loki made a face, pulling away.  “No!”  Loki pushed Ragnfast’s face away, but he held him close.

  “Just give me a kiss.”  Ragnfast puckered his lips.

  “Get off of me!”  Loki pushed himself out of Ragnfast’s grip.  He stumbled backwards.

  Ragnfast frowned and sucked on his teeth.  “Well, I guess you don’t care about this book as much as you claim you do.”  Ragnfast put the book back on the inside of his breast plate as he spoke.  He faked a smile at Loki before turning away.  Loki leapt onto his back.

  “Give it back!” Loki shouted.

  Ragnfast grabbed a fistful of Loki’s hair before flipping over his shoulder and slamming him down onto the ground.

  Loki’s vision blurred.  His breath was heavy.

  Ragnfast smiled before lowering himself to Loki’s level.  “You’re not as strong as you think you are.”

  Loki raised himself onto his forearms.  He stared down at the ground in between his hands.  Ragnfast stood and walked off.  Loki scowled as he sat up.

 

~~~~

 

  Thor sipped from his mug as he walked along the castle.  Ragnfast turned around a corner.  They both froze when they saw each other.  Ragnfast smiled a bit before he walked off again.  Thor frowned, sipping his ale.  He turned the corner.

  Loki sat with his back towards him;  his knees were held up to his chest, and his face buried in the crook of his left arm.

  Thor frowned, glancing back at Ragnfast.  He turned back to Loki.  Thor felt his chest and jaw tighten.  He spun around on his heels and stormed over to Ragnfast.  Thor grabbed Ragnfast’s shoulder and forced him against the castle wall.  “What did you do to him?”

  Ragnfast scoffed.  “Who, Loki?”  He arched a brow.  Thor glared at him.  Ragnfast chuckled with a roll of his eyes.  “Oh, please.  I didn’t do anything.”

  “Like Hell you did!”

  Ragnfast scoffed again.  “All I did was take his little book.”  Ragnfast pulled out Loki’s book from the inside of his breast plate.  “Not that big of a deal.”

  Thor frowned.  “Then give it back.”  He reached for the book, but Ragnfast pulled back from him.

  “Because how else am I supposed to get Loki to kiss me?”

  Thor paused.  “So, that’s the reason?”  Thor stepped closer.

  “Yes.  I mean, he’s an omega.  Their only purpose is to serve and please alphas, isn’t it?”

  Thor felt his heart drop into his stomach.  He inhaled slightly.  Thor turned his attention to the ale in his mug.  It was a bright warm brownish-yellow colour with a small bit of foam around the edge of his mug.  Thor swirled the ale a bit.  He threw back his head, draining his mug, before staring back down into his mug.  The foam fell down the inside of the mug.

  Thor gripped his mug tightly.  He smashed the mug against Ragnfast’s head.  The glass shattered, and Ragnfast’s forehead slashed open.  Ragnfast stumbled backwards before falling to the ground.  Thor threw away the rest of the broken mug.

  Thor picked up the book before turning his back and walking away, setting the book inside his breast plate.

  “You fucking bastard,” Ragnfast gritted through his teeth as his wiped away the blood from his forehead.  Thor stopped as Ragnfast stumbled to his feet.  “You’ll pay for that.”

  Ragnfast rushed forward, clenching his fist.  He swung at Thor, catching his knuckles on Thor’s jaw.  Thor stumbled back on the castle wall.  Ragnfast ran at him.  Thor raised his foot and kicked him in his face.

  Their knuckles cracked;  their teeth rattled;  blood filled and spilled from their mouths;  their visions blurred.

  Thor shoved Ragnfast onto the ground and leapt on top of him.  Ragnfast raised his arm as Thor brought down his fist.  Ragnfast grabbed the discarded piece of the broken mug and brought it against Thor’s head.  The mug broke even more.  Blood spurted from Thor’s eye as he fell off of Ragnfast.

  Ragnfast punched Thor again and again.  Thor fell back onto the ground.

  “Stay there,” Ragnfast ordered.  He turned and looked around for the book.  “Where the—?”

  Thor leapt onto Ragnfast’s back.  Unlike Loki, Thor had the strength to hold onto Ragnfast.  Thor hooked his legs around Ragnfast’s hips and wrapped an arm around Ragnfast’s neck before squeezing tightly.  Ragnfast felt his face grow hot.

  Ragnfast grabbed a fistful of Thor’s hair, trying to rip Thor off of him.  Ragnfast backed against the castle wall, but Thor held onto him.

 

~~~~

 

  “YOU FOUGHT!” Odin shouted.  A vein bulged in his forehead.  His voice carried throughout the throne room.  He stood mere inches away from them.  They both stood, staring down at the ground.  Their faces burned with embarrassment.

  Bruises pulsated, and the pain ached.  Thor wore a black eyepatch over his right eye.

  Frigga and Loki sat in the their throne chairs as Odin paced back and forth in front of Ragnfast and Thor.

  “I can’t believe you two!” Odin continued.  He snapped towards them.  “What would’ve happened if Loki was around?!  Or Frigga?”  Ragnfast glanced up at Frigga before turning back to Odin.  “Or any other omega?  What if any of them got hurt?”

  “I apologize for my actions,” Thor said, bowing his head.  Ragnfast rolled his eyes.  “I— shouldn’t have done what I did.”

  Odin stared at him before turning to Ragnfast.  “Well?”

  Ragnfast stared blankly at him.  “Well, what?”

  “Where is your apology?”  Odin’s chest heaved with every breath.

  “I am not apologizing.”  Odin tensed.  “I did not cause this.  I was simply defending myself.”

  “Father, I don’t—,” Loki began.

  “Hieghhh!” Odin interrupted, snapping towards him.  Loki closed his mouth, glancing away.  Frigga glanced at him.  Odin turned back to Ragnfast and Odin.  “I don’t care who started it or who finished it.  You are not supposed to fight outside of the arenas!”  His voice echoed again.”

  “Your majesty!” Heimdall shouted as he burst into the throne room.  Everyone turned towards him.  “You need to come with me.”

  Odin gritted his teeth.  He turned to Thor and Ragnfast.  “This isn’t over.”

  Frigga stood from her seat and stepped closer.  “I’ll take over here.”

  Odin and Heimdall glanced at her.  “Fine!”  Odin threw out his hand.  He turned and stormed off.  “Now, what is so fucking important?”

  “We need to speak to Hagi,” Heimdall answered.

  “Why?!” Odin nearly screamed.  Heimdall leaned closer and whispered something in his ear.  Odin stiffen before they hurried out of the room.

  “The two of you broke into a fight in an unethical area,” Frigga said, stepping closer to them.  “Now, which one shall I punish?”  She stared deeply at Ragnfast.  “The one that’s already made several errors of judgment but is well liked by the majority of the people here?”  Loki chewed on the inside of his cheek.  Frigga turned to Thor.  “Or the man whose few people’s a glass of champagne, not everyone’s cup of tea, but hasn’t made that many errors or missteps?”  She glanced at the both of them.

  “Perhaps I should punish the both of you?”  Frigga raised her brows, tilting her head to one side.

  “That is not necessary,” Ragnfast said, shaking his head.  Frigga turned to him.  Her face remained unchanging.  “Like I said before, I was defending myself.”

  Frigga glanced to Thor.  “Thor, is this true?”

  Thor lowered his head.  “Yes, my queen.  I did start the fight.”

  Frigga turned fully towards him.  “Why?”  She folded her hands.  “Why exactly did you start the fight?”

  Thor glanced up at Loki.  Loki gently shook his head.  Frigga turned her head as Loki and Thor stiffen.  Loki stood, gathering the skirt of his dress in his hands, before stepping out through a door.  The door closed with a thump that echoed in the room.  Frigga turned back to Thor.

  “Alright then,” she said, “keep your secrets.”  She stared at him before stepping closer.  She cupped his cheek and ran her thumb over his eyepatch.  “How is your eye?”

  “They got all the glass out of it.”  Thor touched his eyepatch.  “The eyepatch is kinda tight.”

  “Yes.  It’s best to prevent any further injury or infection to your eye.  Even if you won’t be able to see from again.”

  Thor glared at Ragnfast;  his jaw tightened.  “Yes.  Never again.”

  Ragnfast scowled at him.  “I told you—.”

  “Ragnfast!” Frigga scolded.  He and Thor turned towards her.  “You have made several errors in judgment, and you believed that you wouldn’t be exposed.  You have disrespected me by lying to me, and you think so low of me that you thought I was too stupid to notice.”  Thor felt a smile tug on the corners of his mouth.  “Stop smiling.”  Frigga sent him a look that could destroy worlds.  Thor frowned as his face burned from embarrassment.  Frigga turned back to Ragnfast.  “On top of that you thought you would destroy another man’s chances by revealing something that he had no control over.”

  Ragnfast raised his head as his eyes widened a bit.  His face paled.  Thor turned and glanced between the two of them.

  “Oh, yes,” Frigga said.  “I know about what you tried to do.”  She tilted her head to one side.  “Frankly, I find it rather disrespectful and quite disgusting that thought that we would prevent Volstagg from competing simply because of who his birth parents were.”

  “His mother was a prostitute!” Ragnfast shouted.

  Frigga raised her hand and slapped him hard across his cheek.  Her eyes widened.  Ragnfast stared down at his feet.  Thor inhaled a breath.

  “That judgment is for myself and my husband,” Frigga scolded.  “And for the record, we already knew that fact.”  Ragnfast raised his head.  “Yes.  Ondott and Runa both told us when I selected Runa to be one of my First Ladies years ago.  That detail of Volstagg’s past was for him and his parents to tell us.”  Frigga leaned closer.  “Not yours.”

  Ragnfast swallowed hard.

  “I suggest you watch yourself,” Frigga warned.  “You have already angered not only me three times today, but also my husband, whom you know to not be as patient nor as forgiving as I am.  I recommend you tread carefully, because next time that you anger us might be the time that we force you to remove yourself from the competition.”  Ragnfast huffed and puffed as she stared down at him.  She gestured to the door at the end of the hall with her hand.  “You may go.”

  Ragnfast said nothing before he turned and began to hurry away.

  “Ragnfast!” Frigga cried.  Ragnfast huffed again as he stopped and turned back towards her.  She stepped closer to him.  “You may not think too highly of me as you believe that I am too stupid to notice you lying to me, but you _will_  give me the respect I deserve.  You bow your head and refer to me as ‘my queen’ or ‘your majesty’ when you leave my presence.  Do you understand me?”

  “Yes— my queen.”  Ragnfast bowed his head.

  “Now, go to bed.”

  “Yes, your majesty.”  Ragnfast raised his head before he turned and walked from the room.

  Thor stepped closer.  Frigga spun around on her heels, bringing her hand across Thor’s cheek.  “That is what you get for fighting in an unethical area.”

  “Again, I apologize for that.”  Thor cupped his cheek as he spoke.

  Frigga’s face softened.  She raised her hand and held it out towards him.  Thor glanced down at her hand then back at her.  They stared at each other for a moment before Thor reached into his breast plate and pulled out Loki’s book.  He gave it to her.

  “Thank you,” Frigga said.  She genuinely smiled at him.  “I’ll give this to him.  You may go now.”

  “Yes, your majesty.”  He bowed his head before he left the room as well.

  Frigga frowned as she stared down at the book in her hand.  She tucked the book underneath her arm, making her way to Loki’s room.  She knocked gently on his door.

  “C’mon in, Mother.”  Frigga opened the door and stepped inside.  Loki didn’t look at her from where he sat from his window seat.  “He told you, didn’t he?”  Loki finally looked at her.

  “Not exactly.”  Frigga stepped closer to him.  “I figured it out.”  She handed him his book.

  “I can never hide anything from you, can I?”  Loki flashed her a smile as he took the book from her.

  “Never.”  Frigga smiled back at her.  She sat beside him.  “Why didn’t you want him to tell me what happened?”

  Loki sighed and looked out the window.  “I’m not weak.”

  Frigga frowned.  “I never said you were.”  She leaned closer and ran her hands down his arms as she spoke.

  “Everyone thinks I am.”  Loki rested his cheek on his shoulder.  “I’m not weak.”  Tears formed in his eyes.

  “There is nothing wrong with being vulnerable from time to time.  It shows people that you aren’t a robot and that you’re a person yourself.  It becomes a problem when you become reliant on others to solve your problems for you.”  Loki refused to look at her.  “Your problem is that you are so desperate to be seen as strong and as someone who has everything worked out that you think asking for help and needing support is a sign of weakness.  It’s not.”  She pulled on his cheek to get him to look at her.  “Promise me that you’ll open yourself up.”

  Loki shrugged his shoulders.  “I guess I could try.”

  Frigga smiled sadly at him.  “When you open yourself, you might be surprised at how quickly you find love.”  Frigga’s smile widened.  Loki glanced out the window.  Frigga kissed his forehead.  “Dry your eyes, and go to sleep.”

  “Okay.”  Loki wiped his eyes on his sleeve before he changed into his nightgown.

  “Sweet dreams.”  She stood and went to the door as Loki crawled into bed.  Frigga smiled as she turned towards him.  “I love you.”

  Loki smiled at her.  “I love you, too.”

  Frigga closed the door, and the room grew dark.

  Loki rolled over to his left side.  His gaze fell onto the worn red leather book on his window seat.  He sighed heavily.

  Frigga pressed her back against Loki’s door.  She sighed heavily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t forget to check me out on YouTube. I just posted my fifth video.
> 
> YouTube: https://youtu.be/3GO6BRbO0ik


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! I posted yet another video onto YouTube. Click on the link below to enjoy.
> 
> https://youtu.be/LxRqLCJwt5A

  Hagi raised the book in his hands as he shifted in his seat.  He turned the page.  The door burst opened as Odin and Heimdall both rushed into the room.  Hagi looked up from his book.

  “Ah, Hagi,” Odin said as they stepped closer to him.  Hagi stood from his seat.

  “Your majesty,” Hagi said, bowing his head.  “Heimdall said that you wanted to speak to me.”

  “Yes,” Odin said.  “I’d like to speak you about the possible future king hood.”

  “King hood?” Hagi asked, raising his brows.  He folded the book underneath his arm as the three of them began to walk around together.

  “Why, yes,” Odin said.  “You have a ten percent chance.  I will have this conversation with all the other competitors.  Now, being a king is more difficult than what people think.”  Odin glanced down at Hagi.

  “Yes,” Heimdall added.  “You will have to manage all the soldiers and all the servants.”

  “Yes,” Odin said.  “All two hundred and fifty thousand of them.”  Hagi’s eyes widened as he lowered his head.  “Not to mention having to balance all the countries’ outward affairs and maintain allies with the other realms.”

  “You must keep peace with the other realms,” Heimdall said.  “Our war with Jotunheim nearly decimated our armies.”  Hagi’s heart pounded in his chest.

  “Though war is sometimes unavoidable,” Odin said.  “My great-grandfather learned that the hard way when he entered into the war with Jotunheim.  You have to keep up the morale of the armies up or else you’ll go into battle with men who don’t have your back.”

  “What makes you think I’m gonna go to war?” Hagi asked.  He tried to keep his voice from quivering.

  Odin and Heimdall stared at him in confusion.  They glanced at each other.

  “Well,” Odin said matter-in-factedly, “very few rulers in Asgardian history went their entire reign without having a war on their hands.”  Hagi shuddered.  “Then, there’s the people.”

  “Piss the people off, and you’ve got a rebellion on your hands,” Heimdall said with a chuckle.  “Raise the taxes just a little bit and they’ll riot.”

  “Or if you lower their benefits, they’ll want you head on a spike,” Odin added.  “Or if you decide to take parts of their lands to build monuments or really anything, they will be pissed.  You can’t make everyone happy, but you have to keep the majority of the near billion people in Asgard happy.”

  Hagi paled slightly.  “That’s the amount of people in Asgard?”

  “Yes, Hagi,” Heimdall said.  “Nearly a billion people.”  He chuckled.  “To think they could storm the castle at any given moment and we wouldn’t be able to stop them.”  Hagi remained quiet.

  “I’m sure you’ll do just fine,” Odin said.  Hagi glanced at him.  “If and when you become king.”  Odin slapped a hand in between Hagi’s shoulders before he turned and walked off.

  “Keep your head up,” Heimdall said, placing a hand on Hagi’s shoulder.  “You’ll do great.”  Heimdall’s eyes flashed a bright gold colour.  He flashed him a smile before followed after Odin.  The two of them rounded a corner.

  “Did it work?” Odin asked.

  “Tomorrow around noon, your majesty,” Heimdall answered with a faint smile.

  Odin sighed in relief.  “That a crisis adverted.”  Heimdall nodded in agreement.

  Night came and went before everyone woke and hurried back to their regular routines, which for most of them was chasing a cat around the castle grounds.  But Loki’s cat escaped each one of them and gently rested in Frigga’s lap, purring loudly as she scratched his head.

  Thor spotted them before he sprinted down to the kitchen.

  “Sir!” a kitchen maid cried when Thor came into the kitchen.  Thor’s gaze fell onto a small bowl on the counter filled with sliced tuna and bits of shrimp.

  “Is this for Prince Loki’s cat?” Thor asking, picking up the small bowl.

  “Yes, sir,” the kitchen maid said with a nod.

  “I’ll take it to him,” Thor said, taking the bowl and hurried to where Frigga and Loki’s cat were.  “Your majesty.”  Frigga and Loki’s cat looked up at him.  The cat crouched back a little.  “I brought this for him.”  Thor placed the bowl beside Frigga.

  “Why, thank you,” Frigga said with a smile.  The cat inched closer to the plate in curiosity.  He sniffed the food before glancing up at Thor.  He turned back to the food, gingerly taking a bite.  “He seems to enjoy it.”

  “Well, the kitchen maids made it,” Thor said with a shrug of his shoulders.  “I would hope so.”

  Frigga chuckled lightly.  “I would hope so too.”  Loki’s cat raised his head, licking his lips, after he finished the food.  Frigga scratched his head.  The cat’s ears folded back as he began to purr softly.

  “He’s very beautiful,” Thor noted.

  “He is.”  Frigga removed her hand.  “Would you like to pet him?”  Frigga stared at him.  Thor lowered his hand, holding it only an inch or two away form the cat’s face.  The cat sniffed his hand.  “I think he’s starting to like you.”  Frigga smiled wide. The cat seemed to frown, looking at Frigga through the corners of his eyes.

  The cat bit Thor’s finger.

  “Ow!” Thor cried, pulling back his hand.

  “Or perhaps not,” Frigga grumbled, frowning at the cat.  Thor stuck his finger into his mouth.  “Are you okay?”  Frigga turned back to him.

  “It’s fine.”  Thor removed his finger from his mouth.  “It’s only a small bite.”

  “Well, it’s not bleeding.  That’s a good thing.”

  “I wouldn’t need a bandage.”

  “That’s a good thing.”  Frigga glared at the cat before he leapt from the stone bench and walked off;  his head and tail proudly stood high.  The cat disappeared into the garden.  Frigga stood.  “Well, I should get going.  I have some needlework that I need to finish.”

  “As you wish, your majesty,” Thor said with a bow.  Frigga walked away.

  Something snapped in the garden.  Something a cage being triggered.  Thor hurried to the garden.

  A small cage swayed back and forth, hanging well above Thor’s head over a tree branch.  Thor’s brow furrowed.

  Agnar sprinted around the corner.  His face fell when he saw the empty cage.  “Dammit!”

  “Agnar!” Thor cried.  “I didn’t realize that this is your method of catching the prince’s cat.”

  Agnar frowned at him.  He turned away as he turned his attention to the empty cage.

  _Is he always this rude?_  Thor thought before he walked off.

  Loki hopped up onto a stone wall.  His dress ended slightly above his ankles, revealing his bare feet.  He held out his arms to keep his balance.  He hummed softly to himself.

  Thor slowed his pace as he stared over at Loki.  His heart stopped in his chest.   _Loki is so beautiful._   Thor sighed before he wandered down to where Loki was.  Loki turned as Thor stepped closer.

  “You’re going to cut your feet,” Thor scolded.

  Loki frowned as he turned towards Thor.  Loki’s face softened.  He chuckled slightly.  “You know you’re the second person to be concerned about the welfare of my feet within the last couple of days.”  Loki flashed him a smile.  Thor chuckled.  “I saw that Agnar failed to catch my cat.”

  “Yes.”  Thor glanced over his shoulder.  “I noticed that as well.”

  “He’ll never catch the cat like that.”  Thor frowned as he turned back towards him.

  “Is that so?”  Loki turned to him, shrugging one of his shoulders in confirmation.  “Do you need help getting down?”  Thor raised a brow.  Loki frowned;  his arms fell to his sides.  Loki leaned his weight onto his heels, falling off of the stone wall.  Thor’s face fell.  He rushed forward.  Loki fell into his arms.  “I got you.”  Thor pulled Loki tighter against his chest.

  Loki’s face grew bright red.  His arms fell naturally around Thor’s neck.  Thor felt his face grow hot.  His heart pounded in his chest.  Thor leaned closer.  His eye closed, and his lips parted.

  Loki ran a hand down Thor’s chest, firmly pressing against him.  “I—.”  Thor opened his eye and drew back his head.  Loki swallowed slightly.  “I believe should put me down.”

  Thor’s face turned bright red from embarrassment.  “Oh.  Right.”  Thor lowered his arms, setting Loki down on his feet.  They faced each other.  Thor’s gaze drifted downward.

  Loki’s dress— a pale, elegant blue —fitted perfectly down the length of Loki’s body, insinuating every curve and angle, before flowing outward into the skirt.  Some of Loki’s raven black hair fell into his face.  Thor raised his hand, stroking the hair back behind Loki’s ear.  His fingers brushed Loki’s skin.

  Both of their hearts stopped in their chests.  Loki’s mouth went dry.

  Loki drew back.  His flushed of its colour.  “I—I should go.”  Loki hurried past him.

  “Don’t.”  Thor grabbed his wrist.  Loki turned back towards him.  “Please.”  Thor stepped closer to him.  Their chests brushed.  Thor lowered his hand, grasping Loki’s.  “Stay with me.”

  Loki stared up at him.  “Okay.”

  Thor brushed his fingers along Loki’s cheek.  He allowed his hand fall to the back of Loki’s head, holding him firmly.  Loki’s eyes widened as Thor leaned forward.

  “Hey!”


	5. Chapter 5

  “Hey!”

  Thor and Loki jumped apart, frantically looking around.  Thor locked eyes with Baldur as he stormed towards them.  Thor pushed Loki behind him.

  “I saw that!” Baldur nearly screamed, leaning close.  “I saw you!”

  “Really?”  Thor crossed his arms.  “What exactly did you see?”

  “You were about to kiss Loki!”  He pointed around Thor.  “I saw it.”

  “Really?”  Thor arched a brow.  “Did you now?”

  “Yes!  See?”  Baldur shoved Thor to reveal Loki, but he wasn’t there.  Baldur frowned hard.  Thor smiled at him.  “Where’d he go?  He was right here.”  Baldur ran behind Thor to find nothing again.  “Where did he go?”

  “He was never here.”  Thor crossed his arms.  “Now, leave me alone.  I have a tournament to win.”

  Baldur glared at him.  He straightened his shoulders.  “And you act like Ragnfast is the worst one out of all of us, but honestly, you can be the worst one out of us.”  Baldur glared at him before storming off.

  Thor’s face fell as he glanced around.  “Now, where the fuck did he go?”  He scratched the back of his head.  Seeing no one and nothing worth looking at, Thor wandered off.

 

~~~~

 

  Later that day.

  Crickets chirped quietly.  The sun had set a couple of hours ago, and the moon had rose high in the darkened sky.

  Reinn steadied himself on a tree branch.  Loki’s cat gently licked his paw as he sat on a stone bench.  The cat ran his wet paw over his face.  Reinn inched further out onto the branch.  A smile danced across his lips.  Reinn reached up and grabbed a small branch above his head.

  The branch cracked then snapped.

  “Fuck!” Reinn shouted as he lost his balance and fell from the tree.  He struck a couple of branches below him before landing on his neck.  “Ow.”  His legs struck the ground.  “That hurt.”  He sat up and rubbed his neck.  Reinn glanced up at the cat.  They both stared at each other for several moments before the cat turned back to licking his paw.  “I’m okay.  Thanks for coming to my aid.”  Reinn groaned as he stood.  His neck and spine cracked and popped.  He stepped closer to the cat.  “Never thought it’ll be this easy.”  Reinn reached for the cat.

  The cat leapt off of the stone bench just as Reinn grazed his fur.

  “Dammit!”  Reinn raced after the cat.  “Get back here.”

  The cat stayed several feet in front of him.  Reinn chased after the cat around the castle.  The cat slid in between the open stable doors.  Reinn opened the door and stepped inside.

  Horses inquisitively whinnied and neighed.  Loki’s cat sat in front of one of the stalls, reeled back, crouching close to the ground.  His ears were drawn back;  his lips curled, revealing his teeth.  The cat let out a sharp hiss before sprinting off, jumping up onto the window ledge on the other side of the stables before leaping out of the window.

  Reinn spun around on his heels and sprinted out of the stables.  The door flew open and clattered against the wall.

 

~~~~

 

  Supper came and went.  All the alphas drank mug after mug of ale.  It didn’t take long for them many of them to get a bit tipsy.  Odin instructed Heimdall to come closer.  Heimdall quickly obeyed.

  “I want a couple of soldiers to escort Loki back to his room,” Odin said.  “Those alphas look as though they’re getting a bit handsy with the servants.”

  “Yes, your majesty,” Heimdall said with a nod of his head.  “I’ll tell the servants to cut the alphas off.”

  “Go do that.”  Heimdall straightened before he walked off.

  Loki turned to the book beside him before opening and reading silently to himself.  Frigga turned to him and smiled.

  “Perhaps,” she said, “you could discuss a few topics with some of the alphas in the competition tomorrow.”

  Loki knew better than to roll his eyes at his mother, so instead, he lowered his book and forced a smile.  “With whom do you want me to start with?”

  Frigga’s smile grew bigger.  “Perhaps you can start with Sir Edgar or even Fandral.”

  Loki thought for a moment.  “Alright.  I’ll try.”

  Agnar stood from a table before he turned.  Frigga frowned as she watched him stumble out of the reception hall.  She leaned in closer to Odin.

  “We should perhaps discuss Agnar’s place in the competition,” Frigga whispered.

  Odin frowned at the thought.  “I personally chose him.  Every man has a vice.”

  “Well, I don’t want his vice to be taken out on our son.”

  Odin swallowed a little.  “Fine.  We’ll discuss this after supper.”  He drained his mug of ale before setting it on the table.

 

~~~~

 

  Agnar stumbled down the hallway, out the door, and to the outside.  His breath reeked of alcohol.  His eyes were glazed over.  He glanced up and saw the royal stables.

  “I-I wanna ride,” he said to himself.  He stumbled over to the stables.  With shaky hands, he pushed open the stable doors and he stepped inside.

  The horses perked up and stared at him.

  “Horsey, horsey.”  He smiled wide at the horses.

 

~~~~

 

  The feast ended.  Frigga and Odin isolated themselves in a room separate from the others.

  “What about Agnar do you want to discuss?” Odin asked, turning to his wife.  He leaned against the desk in the room.  He took a sip from his mug of ale.

  “His drinking habits.”  Frigga drew her lips into fine line.

 

~~~~

 

  Agnar opened one of the stalls and stepped closer to the black horse.

 

~~~~

 

  “He drinks far too much and far too frequently,” Frigga complained.

  “You omegas never loved the idea of alphas drinking.”  Frigga’s mouth fell open.  Her eyes widened.  “Let the boy drink.  He needs some enjoyment in his life.”

 

~~~~

 

  The black horse backed up in the stall as Agnar stepped closer and closer.

  “C’mere,” he ordered.

 

~~~~

 

  “This isn’t about me being an omega,” Frigga scolded, shaking her head.  “This is about his excessive drinking and how it might effect our only son.  Our only child.”

  Odin frowned as he downcast his gaze.

 

~~~~

 

  Agnar reached for the black horse, trying to grab its mane.  The black horse reared up.  Its whinny echoed throughout the stables.  The black horse kicked out its legs.

  A hoof struck Agnar in his forehead.  He quickly fell to the ground.  Blood pooled underneath his head.

  The black horse planted its hooves into the ground.  It glanced around before stepping from the stall.

 

~~~~

 

  “I’m sorry for what I said,” Odin said.  He kept his gaze locked onto the ale in his mug.

  Frigga faintly smiled to herself.  “Apology accepted.”

  “Well?”  Odin glanced at her.

  “Well, I suppose we should ask him to remove himself from the competition.”

  “So, Ragnfast can act up many times and still be in the competition, but Agnar has one vice and he immediately gets ruled out completely.”

  Frigga huffed, rolling her eyes.  “Ragnfast has been dealt with, and we need to wait and see if his behavior improves.  Agnar can’t improve an alcohol addiction.”

  Odin only frowned.

  Heimdall burst into the room.  “Your majesties!”  Both of them turned towards him.  “It’s Agnar.”

  “What about him?” Frigga asked.

  “He’s dead.”

  All of their eyes widened, and their faces paled.


	6. Chapter 6

  Heimdall was the first to reach the stables.  Several guards kept everyone back from entering the stables.  Odin followed close behind Heimdall.

  “Where’s the horse?” Frigga asked, stepping into the stables and looking at the empty stall.  She looked around the entire stables.  Her mouth fell open when she saw the entire stable empty.  “Where’s all the horses?”

  “I was wondering that myself, your majesty,” Heimdall said.  “Unfortunately, that must be placed on the back burner for now.”

  “Avert you eyes,” Odin ordered as Frigga stepped closer to the stall.  Odin turned her before she see where Agnar’s body laid.

  “I’m not a child, darling.”  Odin pushed her towards the door.  “I’ll be fine.”

  “You still shouldn’t see this.”  He raised his head as Loki sprinted down the front steps to the castle.  “Stop him!”  Sir Edgar and the other alphas turned to stop Loki.  Sir Edgar was the first to reach him and wrapped his arms around Loki’s body.

  “What happened?!” Loki cried.  “What’s going on?”  Sir Edgar turned and starting pushing him back towards the stairs.

  “You shouldn’t see this,” Sir Edgar whispered in his ear.

  “Why?” Loki asked, raising his brows.  “Tell me what’s going on.”

  “Take him outta here,” Odin said to Frigga.  “He doesn’t need to see this.”

  Frigga frowned slightly before hurrying over to her son.  She grabbed his hand.  “C’mon.”

  “What’s happening?” Loki asked, looking at her.

  “I’ll tell you when we get to your room.”  Loki turned his head.  Frigga cupped his cheek and turned him back towards her.  “Listen to me.  I tell you what happened, but you don’t need to see it.”

  Loki remained quiet as Frigga took his hand and began to lead him back to his room.  Sir Edgar stepped forward.

  “I’ll lead you back,” he said.  “Just in case this wasn’t an accident.”

  “Thank you, Sir Edgar,” Frigga said.  She turned towards him.  “That is a wonderful idea.”  Sir Edgar offered his arms to the both of them but neither took an arm.  He let his arms fall to his sides.  They turned and hurried to Loki’s room.

  “Here you are, your majesties,” Sir Edgar said, bowing slightly.

  “Thank you,” Frigga said as Loki made his way over to the window across the room.  “Goodnight.”

  “Sleep well, your majesties,” Sir Edgar said, bowing again before leaving.  Frigga closed the door.

  “Are you going to tell me what happened?” Loki asked, not turning around towards her.

  “It’s about Agnar.”  Frigga stepped closer to him.  Loki turned to her.  His eyes widened.  “He was struck in the head by a horse.”  Loki gasped softly.  Frigga grasped his hands.  She closed her eyes.  “He’s dead.”  Loki gasped again, louder than the first time.  His legs grew weak.  His throat tightened.  “We may have to do an investigation.”

  “Wha—?”  He sat down on the window sill.  “Why?”

  “I noticed that the horses were missing.”  She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.  “Our horses are trained not to wonder off even with their stall door open, but they all were missing.”

  “So, you think someone might have transformed into a horse and killed Agnar.”

  “That’s right.”  Frigga nodded slightly.

  “But how would they know that Agnar would pick that particular horse.”

  Frigga thought for a moment.  “Perhaps they hired a group of Aesirs to take the places of the horses, so it didn’t matter which Agnar chose.”

  Loki frowned, lowering his gaze.  “What would’ve happened if Agnar didn’t do into the stable?”  His hands trembled.  “I would’ve asked Sir Edgar to go horse riding with me tomorrow.”  Loki looked up at his mother.  Tears filled his eyes.  “Would he have died instead?”

  “We don’t know that.”  Frigga went to him and hugged him gently.  “We don’t know that.”

 

~~~~

 

  The crowd grew more and more outside the stables.

  “Cover him,” Odin ordered when he saw Sir Edgar return from inside the castle.  The other eight members of the challenge stood outside the stables.  Heimdall threw a blanket over Agnar’s body.  His gaze fell to beside Agnar’s body.

  “Look,” Heimdall said, pointing at, not a hoof print, but rather a footprint walking out of the stall.  He and Odin glanced around and the soil, pushing aside the bits of hay.  More and more footprints were found.  This time, hoof prints were scattered about the ground, leading outside.  Heimdall glanced up at Odin.

  “Let’s follow them,” Odin said.  He headed for the crowd of onlookers.  “Move!”  His voice boomed through the air.  The crowd parted like the Red Sea.  Heimdall and Odin stormed past the group.  Several guards followed after them.

  The hoof prints and footprints continued away from the stables, down past the koi fish pond, and deep into the woods.  A small dirt path was covered with prints of someone leading several horses down the soft soiled pathway, leading to a small shack with a light inside.  All the horses surrounded the shack.

  “There they are,” Odin murmured as they all hid behind some trees and bushes.

  “Shall we?” Heimdall asked, smiling over at Odin.  Odin turned to the guards.

  “Get the horses,” Odin ordered.  “We’ll go inside.”

  “Are you sure, your majesty?” Heimdall asked.

  “Yes,” Odin said.  “I am very sure.”  They all stood then surrounded the shack.  Odin and Heimdall went up to the door.  Heimdall slammed his fist against the hard wood door.

  There was some clatter from inside.  Odin and Heimdall stood beside each other in front of the door.

  “It’s about time,” the person from inside called.  “I’ve been waiting all day for you.”  The door opened, and the young stable boy filled the doorway.  Odin and Heimdall stared down at him.  The stable boy’s eyes widened.  He tried to slam the door, but Odin wedged himself in between the door and the doorframe.  Heimdall helped Odin force the door open.  The stable boy fell to the floor, and Heimdall leapt on top of him.

  “Let go of me!” the stable boy cried.  Heimdall held the boy’s wrists in one hand.

  “Why do you have the horses?!” Odin demanded.

  “Someone paid me to!” the stable boy cried again.  Tears filled his eyes.  Heimdall and Odin glanced at one another.

  “Who hired you?” Heimdall asked, pining the stable boy to the floor.

  “Some guy in a mask,” the stable boy said.  “He kept his face covered and everything.  I swear!  I swear, your majesty!”

  Both Heimdall and Odin frowned at him.  Heimdall eased his weight off of him before he wrestled the stable boy to his feet.

  “We’ll deal with you later,” Odin growled.  Odin turned and stepped out of the room before Heimdall and the stable boy followed after him.  Heimdall kept the boy’s wrists in his hand before they tied his wrists together and tied the other end of the rope to the neck of a horse.  Heimdall and Odin rallied up the horses and lead them all back to the castle.

  Frigga rushed down the front stairs, through the crowd, and up to Odin.  “You found them.”

  “Yes.  We followed the footprints in the dirt,” Odin said.  Frigga turned and looked at the stable boy.

  “Who is he?” Frigga asked.

  “He was the one who stole the horses, your majesty,” Heimdall said, untying the rope around the horse’s neck.  He kept a hand on the rope.

  “A man in a mask paid me lots of money to take the horses,” the stable boy said.  “That’s all I know!  I swear, your majesties.”

  Frigga stepped forward, placing her hand on his shoulder.  “Are you speaking the truth?”

  He looked at her in her eyes.  “Yes.”  She shifted her weight;  the stable boy stepped back as Frigga took his place.

  “I—.  Argh!”  An arrow ripped through her shoulder.

  All their eyes widened as both Odin and Heimdall rushed to her side.

  “Frigga!” Odin cried, catching her in his arms.  Blood gushed from her wound.  Her breath was short and ragged.  “Frigga, Frigga.”  Odin turned her head towards him.  “Look at me.”  Her eyes fluttered open and closed.

  She gasped and squealed from the pain, gripping his arm, as he applied pressure to her wound.  Her eyes drooped.

  “Stay with me,” Odin ordered, leaning closer.  “Please, stay with me.”  Her eyes finally closed.


End file.
